I met Erin at a park district class last winter. Through different play groups and moms night out we have become friends. Over this time I have learned about her perspective on what all cultures use to celebrate an event: Cake or a desert of some sort. I can not do here theory justice so you have to read her description below. Erin uses this theory to create art from celebratory confectionery items that she makes herself. In most of her pieces she smashes cupcakes or cakes to inspire the piece.

Right now you can experience her art on display at the Dittmar Memorial Gallery on the Northwestern Campus. My son and I went to her opening show last Friday night.

She has a piece called ‘Serenity Now’ which is a zen garden made of sprinkles! This was a big hit with D and Erin’s son. They were playing with it the whole time. Lots of sprinkles on the floor.Cupcake smash!

All night!

Erin’s son was proud to show off his art that was on display. It is beautiful.

Erin has collected the tops of all the squeeze pouches she has given to her son in his life and asked friends to contribute theirs. Her is explaining the art to D.

D and Erin’s son eating the classy cheese and crackers in the corner and at one point sharing cookies.

Erin’s second son. Such a cutie. He would light up and scoot towards me whenever I crouched down to take his picture.

Open space means our boys are going to run round.

This medallion is made of all the baby food labels that Erin gave to her first son.

We switched up our play date switch this week because he kids are on school break and our husbands had more flexibly schedules. So on Thursday I had both kids and we decided to go to the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum because its free for Illinois residents on Thursday. Woo Hoo!

We started out around lunch time so we ate lunch there and for some reason they didn’t want to sit next to each other.

Then we played in the water works area where kids get to learn about our water systems and change the direction of water flow with different types of dams. They also learn what’s in our water.

One preschooler trying to teach the other how to use a rotary type phone. haha

“You have to get on the floor like this to see it”

D using his new found phone skills.

The receiver works better when its under the beanie.

Snap Turtle!

The Nature Museum has this fun area called Judy Istock Butterfly Haven where butterflies can land on you.

There was a girl who “rescued” a butterfly from the water and it was hanging out on her finger. So these two kept putting their fingers out hoping a butterfly would hop on.

Or try to catch them with the butterfly directory.

This blue guy was their favorite. The outside of his wings look like the Tawny Owl.

D tried to show the butterfly where he was on the directory.

We moved onto the play area with slide, roots that you can swing on and costumes.

The decided they wanted to dress as beavers. 🙂

Everything is better in a beaver costume.

These two really love each other. I promise I didn’t pose this one. D kind of looks like Kevin McCallister in this outfit.